The present invention relates to kilns. In one aspect, it relates to a small, lightweight and portable kiln that may be used by home artists and hobbyists.
Kilns are often used for firing pottery or ceramics, both commercially and by hobbyists. Kilns are also used in laboratories to provide specific heat cycles for forming materials and/or testing already-formed materials. Kilns are used by custom knife artisans for creating and/or heat treating knife blades. There are many other possible uses for kilns, including but not limited to: annealing, china painting, enameling, glass fusing, glass sagging, glass shaping, heat treating, jewelry fabrication, porcelain, silver clay, and stoneware, for example. The sizes and shapes of currently available kilns vary widely. Usually the sizes and shapes of kilns correspond to the intended use of the kiln.
Internal temperatures within a kiln may be as hot as 2300° F. during operation of the kiln. Usually, thick ceramic blocks forming walls define an oven space or enclosure, and are used to confine the heat within the kiln. However, the use of such blocks typically causes the kiln to be very heavy and difficult to move. Hence, there is a need for a more lightweight kiln that is easier to move.
With the use of conventional insulation (ceramic blocks), the outside surface of a conventional kiln may experience temperatures as hot as 400° F. However, such outside temperatures may not be safe for use within a home by hobbyists due to risks of fire or risks of human contact with the outer surface of the kiln. Hence, to have a kiln suitable for use in a home by a hobbyist, there is a need for a way to reduce the external surface temperature to increase the safety during use.
Also, many home hobbyists or small laboratories that only occasionally use a kiln may not have a suitable work space or it may not be desirable to leave a kiln in a useable position (i.e., away from the wall and away from other objects that may catch fire or melt if too close to an operating kiln) when it is not in use. For example, a hobbyist may desire to store the kiln in a closet or move the kiln through a doorway to another room for storage, but conventional kilns are not designed for such movement on a regular basis. Hence, there is a need for a kiln design that allows the kiln to be easily moved and stored when not in use.